Aligning project for Pass through

Hello, I was wondering if I can get some assistance on a sign I’m making. I’ve had the Glowforge for over a year and I noticed every time I make a big piece that has to go through the pass through I’m having problems aligning the pieces together. I’ve done everything possible from taping it for a reference point to using the zoom in feature on the glowforge app to help align it. So far I have not had any success. See pictures
If you look at picture one everything seems like it would work and have enough spacing as i drew it. But when it is finish it’s either overlapped(Blue Plexi) or too close(white plexi) I appreciate the help! 60504666545__66D75679-2B70-4937-851E-4B4F8B3BD384 IMG_2511 IMG_2515

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There are several things to remember when using the Passthrough…we’ve got a couple of tutorials that explain how to split a file to use in it for Inkscape and Illustrator linked below:

It’s actually important to decide how you are going to break up the file and get some marks in there before you try to cut it…doing it by eye is always going to make it hard to get alignment/spacing correct.

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Hey, thanks again! Yes, I followed the tutorial using inkscape and was able to create and SVG with two parts. The picture shown was me aligning the two fonts together. I’m able to ignore part 2 while part 1 is printing. My issue when it comes to aligning the second part. Even though I put a taper as reference or even zooming in the print still does not line up. Thanks, any help will be great!

Are you anchoring off of the side of the tray? (Got the boots in place to make sure it’s square?)

All of those written up bits at the end are the most critical part, because any rotation at all in the material and you’re going to get some funky results.

But also … you are not actually supposed to use the screen view to align the print…you need to be using the jig (ruler) and looking at the results from over the top of the machine when you shift it. The image on the screen is always going to be hard to align to.

I guess you could try to align visually, but you need to use the Set Focus button in several places…might not have great luck doing it.

You can’t trust the camera for alignment on the second and any subsequent prints. It is always off. You have to trust your jig.

Break the file where any imperfections will be the least noticeable. You will have an imperfection, but it can be minimized. Designing for the break helps with the success of a project. I have snapmarks and sometimes they are off by a fraction.

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Yes, the boots are in place making sure it’s square. I also use the right side of the side tray to place my acrylic piece. I agree, I don’t like using the screen and I also try to avoid it when aligning several pieces. I try to use the actual view from at top with the tray in place as my guide. I have to estimate where I need to go on going up and down even when I place blue tape for my guide, I’m off about 1/8"to 1/4". But the from left to right it’s usually dead on. Thanks!

Can you post the files you created? I want to take a look. If you’ve got the indexing marks in there, and they are spaced correctly, you should be able to use them to get much better spacing vertically than a 1/4".

If you are using alignment marks in your files and a jig secured to the crumb tray, there should be no estimating involved.

You can design your file to be slid up or down, your choice. The math can be tricky to keep straight in your head, but you get used to it.

And the mark you make on your material doesn’t have to be permanent. You can make a very light score on some masking and then peel the masking off when you done.

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